for family camp site ts and a board walk. >> that will be a great spot. >> thanks for joining us. breaking news tonight, the verdict handed down. harvey weinstein found guilty of rape but acquitted on the most serious charges. the disgraced movie mogul led away from the courtroom in handcuffs and sent to jail how long he could spend behind bars. the emotional star-studded celebration for the lives of kobe and gianna bryant vanessa bryant addressing the crowd and her heart-felt message. >> if you take care of our gigi and i got our others, we're still the best team.

>> the starring performances by beyonce, alisha keys and christina aguilera and tearful tributes from michael jordan and shaq and the lawsuit filed by vanessa bryant her new allegations against the helicopter company. the market meltdown. the dow plunging over 1,000 points and concerns as the coronavirus outbreak grows. the attack outside a carnival the car potentially plowing into a crowd. many of the 30 people hurt are children. the battle for south carolina, our brand-new poll bernie sanders surging in the state that may be joe biden's last stand but sanders under fire for what he said about fidel castro. and our tribute to a trailblazing nasa legend. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening harvey weinstein was taken from a new york city courtroom in handcuffs today after a jury found the once high flying movie producer guilty of rape and a criminal sexual act. tonight, the man who became a symbol of the me too movement accused by dozens of women who faces potentially years in prison as well as another trial

in los angeles stephanie gosk starts us off. >> reporter: harvey weinstein once one of hollywood's most influential brokers tonight behind bars, a convicted sex offender after more than four days of deliberations, the jury here in new york found the 67-year-old guilty of two counts of sexual assault, including rape. the district attorney called today's decision a moment that will change the course of history. >> this is the new landscape for survivors of sexual assault in america, i believe and this is a new day. >> reporter: the media mogul faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. acquitted of most serious charge, predatory sexual assault, which could have put him behind bars for life those charges based in part on annabella sciora's rape accusation she said we can never regret

breaking the silence. wolf testified during the trial. >> i never for once thought he would be held accountable, and that's a big part of why i'd never spoke up because he is him and i was me, but that's changed now. >> reporter: she says weinstein raped her in 2005, one of three witnesses who was brought in by prosecutors to establish a pattern of sexual assault. what message do you think this verdict sends today? >> that it's okay. you have permission and you should speak up for yourself. >> reporter: more than 100 women have accused weinstein of sexual misconduct since blockbuster reports broke in the "new york times" and "the new yorker" tw years ago fueling the me too movement while this case centered on the accusations of only three women, it was widely seen as a pivotal moment for all of weinstein's accusers, women

like kaitlyn dulani. >> i certainly never thought that this would happen, not even three years ago. i lived with this inside of >> reporter: actress mira sorvina tweeting today, the beginning of justice more to come, my sisters #weinsteinguilty as the jury read the verdict, weinstein showed little reaction and cuffed by officers and taken to prison. >> he didn't react emotionally there was no crying. he kept saying i'm innocent, i'm innocent. >> reporter: weinstein has long denied ever having non-consensual sex. >> you can think whatever you want about harvey weinstein as a person but i personally do not believe as i've said all along that harvey weinstein is guilty of committing these crimes >> reporter: tonight weinstein is at a medical facility on rikers island awaiting his sentencing on march 11th soon after that the defense says it will appeal. >> stephanie joins us now. as i mentioned at the top, he faces charges now in los angeles. what happens next? >> reporter: that's right, lester this is far from over. he's facing two felonies including rape in los angeles. he's going to have to be extradited out there to face his accusers. >> thanks, stephanie

ial for basketball today a gianna and seven others who died in that helicopter crash in california bryant's widow speaking publicly for the first time since thhis death in an emotional tribute. miguel almaguer was there. >>. ♪ i'm surrounded by your embrace ♪ >> reporter: tonight the tribute, the heartbreak and the still unbearable loss. this the final good-bye to kobe bryant and daughter gianna. >> bye, baby girl. >> reporter: an overwhelming wave of emotion as vanessa bryant took the stage speaking publicly for the first time, celebrating her daughter, gigi. >> her smile took up her entire face like mine kobe always said she was me, she had my fire, my personality and sarcasm. she was tender and loving on the inside. >> reporter: the grief still vivid for her husband. >> i couldn't see him as a

celebrity, nor just an incredible basketball player he was my sweet husband and the beautiful father of our children he was mine. he was my everything. >> reporter: tens of thousands gathered here to celebrate all of the victims, including the seven other whose died when their helicopter crashed in foggy weather. family members and friends all gone too soon. >> i can only imagine how painful this is for them. >> reporter: from across the country, fans came in droves, draped in purple and gold gathering in the house that kobe built for a tearful good-bye remembering him at center court where bryant held court for 20 years. the crowd erupting when michael jordan walked on stage. >> in the game of basketball, in life, as a parent, kobe left

nothing in the tank. he left it all on the floor. >> reporter: jordan, an idol turned rival then life-long friend. >> when kobe bryant died, a piece of me died please, rest in peace little brother. >> reporter: in the stands where they cheered for bryant through five championships, tonight there were tears but at times also laughter. >> now it's time for us to continue a legacy. i'll look after things down here i'll be sure to teach natalie, bianka and capri all your moves, and i promise i will not teach them my free-throw techniques. >> reporter: a man much bigger than basketball always the

loving husband and father. >> god knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other. he had to bring them home to have them together babe, you take care of our gigi and i got nani, bibi and coco. we're still the best team. >> reporter: bryant's memorial, which ran for nearly three hours, was incredibly emotional inside especially when vanessa bryant spoke nbc news learned bryant filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the helicopter company saying they should not have been flying in the foggy weather but today was all about remembering those nine lives lost but not forgotten. lester >> some just beautiful and touching moments there miguel, thank you. also tonight, fears over the coronavirus hitting hard on wall street, the dow plunging over 1,000 points today, more than 3.5% the worst day in two years as cases surge outside china. we've got it all covered beginning with richard engel in hong kong. >> reporter: the coronavirus is looking more and more like a

global pandemic spreading beyond mainland china where the government says strict quarantine have slowed infection rates locally but even this has failed to stop the virus in italy, a few cases this weekend ballooned today to over 200. at least seven dead, train lines stopped. nearly a dozen villages declared red zones. nbc's molly hunter is in milan. >> reporter: the challenge for the italians is stopping the spread before it goes to europe and that starts here at train stations, airports and transportation hubs. >> reporter: in iran, 12 dead so far. the government is racing to increase production of surgical masks. in south korea, more than 800 now infected in the most impacted area, a line for face masks went on and on in hong kong, one of the first places hit, i went to see a doctor who just finished his shift working directly with coronavirus victims.

it's been described to me like a cold except this one will kill you. is that about how you see it >> the problem is with this new virus, it comes with a mortality of around 2 to 3%, which is extremely high if you consider it as a flu virus. >> reporter: if it can impact a fifth of the population -- >> it would be a catastrophe, yes. >> reporter: i followed dr. wong as he went to see his wife for dinner she's pregnant, so they kept far apart eating takeout at a distance, texting back and forth. the virus now nearing pandemic proportions as doctors believe many countries, especially those bordering china, will probably have more cases than they know about or are reporting richard engel, nbc news, hong kong this is tom costello on wall street today a sea of red.. on wall street today a sea of red.on wa street today a sea of red. the dow down more than 1,000 points, 3.5%. >> an ugly day for wall street the worst we've seen for stocks in years.

>> reporter: the stock market in a steep nosedive over concern the coronavirus is already cutting into the global economy. the market erasing all of its gains from 2020. among the hardest hit stocks, companies dependent on chinese supply lines and international travel nike, marriott, united, carnival and norwegian cruise lines and pharmaceuticals on concerns drugs made in china could come into short supply. >> it's not just the pharmaceutical industry, it's the auto industry and consumer product industry so many american companies have staked their production on china. >> reporter: meanwhile small u.s. companies are also getting worried. omg accessories sells products for kids and tweens to big u.s retailers and like many companies, u.s. manufacturing has been shut down for a month already. >> we do development and sampling our whole team and creative team is out there in china. >> reporter: manufacturing on hold, as the coronavirus spreads.

oil prices sliding on concern a slowing economy won't need as much oil and gas to fuel it. unleaded averaging $2.47 a gall gallon, down a nickel in just a month. lester >> the growing impact of all of this tom, thanks. a terrifying car attack left some 30 people injured at a carnival in germany. the driver is under arrest witnesses say he intentionally slammed into a crowd at least a third of those hurt were children. tonight, the motive is a mystery, it comes days after a police say a far-right extremist gunman killed nine people in germany. we'll be back in 60 seconds with bernie sanders closing in on joe biden in south carolina our brand-new poll and after harvey weinstein's conviction, the future of the me too movement

president trump is in india tonight where he was greeted by massive crowds more than 100,000 people turned out to see the president andi. later, the president and first lady visiting the iconic taj

mahal. the democratic presidential candidates are focusing on south carolina's primary this saturday, and our poll shows bernie sanders is gaining on joe biden there. >> reporter: tonight, bernie sanders moving into striking distance in south carolina after his huge win in nevada where he built a broad collision, including more than half of latino democrats >> we are going to win across the country because the american people are sick and tired of a president who lies all of the time. >> reporter: our nbc news/marist poll shows sanders in a strong second place position, behind joe biden in south carolina. the former vice president betting it all on his fire wall of support from african-american voters here where our poll shows biden still has an edge. though, sanders support is growing. are you going to win here in south carolina

>> yes. >> reporter: take it to the bank >> yes. >> reporter: biden's campaign hoping a key endorsement by jim clyburn will help, as democrats are worried. do you think bernie sanders is capable of beating donald trump? >> i'd like whoever the democrat is to beat donald trump. i don't think he can beat donald trump and keep a democratic senate or get a democratic senate and keep a democratic house. >> reporter: meanwhile, sanders tonight facing backlash for these comments to "60 minutes" about communist cuba >> we're opposed to the authoritarian people of cuba you know, it's unfair is to say everything is bad. when fidel castro came into office you know what he did? he had a massive literacy program. >> reporter: bloomberg writing on twitter that castro murdered quote, thousands of his own people but, sure, bernie, let's talk about his literacy program bloomberg is looking to rebound from his disastrou performance in the last debate

sanders' campaign telling me they're hoping to make tomorrow night's debate all about bernie sanders. lester >> thank you. in chicago today jussie smollett pleaded not guilty to new charges stemming from allegations he staged a hate crime on himself last year he's charged with six counts of disorderly conduct for making false reports to police. the charges are similar to those dropped by prosecutors last year now for a closer look at our top story. the impact of harvey weinstein's conviction today extends far beyond a new york courtroom. analysts say his case launched a movement and is a watershed moment for victims of sexual assault. here is kate snow. >> reporter: harvey weinstein built an empire with films from "shakespeare in love" to "pulp fiction," to "goodwill hunting." now he's a convicted rapist. >> this is not about one group of women this is about all of us. >> reporter: louise is one of

the many who accused weinstein of sexual misconduct >> this is no longer tolerated and there is no excuse like playboy. this is assault. and it's not going to be allowed to happen anymore. >> reporter: in october 2017, weinstein prompted the me too hashtag to go viral. the movement destroying the careers of men across industries advocates for survivors of sexual violence expect reports to swell again this week >> more survivors are being believed more institutions are taking steps to be meaningfully supportive of survivors and prevent sexual harassment and abuse. >> reporter: the weinstein case involved women who continued t have a relationship with him was this the kind of case prosecutors might have avoided in the past? >> yes, i think many prosecutors could think it's too complicated, too difficult unlikely to lead to a conviction >> reporter: so with this verdict, what happens? >> it sends the message that these are the kind of cases that can be brought and can result in a guilty verdict >> reporter: for accusers like

caitlyn delaney, a triumph moment after a trial. >> the fact the jury believes these women in spite of what the defense did to discredit them really speaks to the fact we are in a different era. >> reporter: kate snow, nbc news up next, as we continue tonight, why a new series about the hunt for nazis is sparking controversy. now, we know the trump strategy-

try to win by attacking, distorting, dividing. mr. president: it. won't. work. newspapers report bloomberg is the democrat trump fears most. as president, universal healthcare that lets people keep their coverage if they like it. a record on job creation. a doable plan to combat climate change. i led a complex, diverse city through 9-11 and i have common sense plans to move america away from chaos to progress! i'm mike bloomberg and i approve this message. there is new controversy tonight for amazon

joe fryer on the new amazon prime series sparking outrage on the fictional depiction of the holocaust. >> reporter: inspired by true events, the amazon prime "hunters" is largely fiction. >> do you think your mother can protect you? >> from what >> nazis. >> reporter: oscar-winner al pacino plays nazi hunters in the 1970s. one scene in particular is drawing sharp criticism. it depicts nazi guards in auschwitz using human beings as chess pieces inventing a fake game of human chess is not only foolidangerou, foolish and caricature, but welcomes future deniers. we honor the victims by otr is t survivor and that attracted

pacino before this came to the surface. >> it's always something when it's personal because that's really art in a way when it's personal. >> reporter: weil says while being respectful to real victims, he created fictionalized events, including the chess match. it's true nazis perpetuated torture and even incidents of cruel games against their victims. i simply did not want to depict those specific real acts of trama. the latest debate in a discussion over how best to keep the stories of holocaust survivors alive. joe fryer, nbc news. up next for us, we remember a pioneering woman who helpe put americans into space

finally, she helped push the frontiers of space breaking barriers and making history. rehema ellis on the extraordinary woman who wa once a hidden figure. >> reporter: katherine johnson's fascination with numbers started early on in west virginia. >> i counted everything. i counted plates when i washed dishes i counted steps from home to church. >> reporter: breaking race and gender barriers in the 1960s jim crow america, johnson helped chart the flight path for america's first space mission with alan shepherd and when john glenn was chosen to orbit the earth, he insisted johnson confirmed the computer's calculations >> he knew that if i had done it, it was right. >> reporter: charles bolden

former head of nasa said a few years ago, johnson was always given the hardest calculations how surprised do you think people were that it was a black woman? >> shocked shocked. you got to remember when she walked in the control center, she was the only black in there so quite naturally, they thought she was the maid >> reporter: for years, she was hardly known outside of nasa the movie "hidden figures" changed that >> nasa, sir. >> nasa? i had no idea they hired. >> reporter: she was honored at the academy awards and given the presidential medal of freedom. in an interview a few years ago, johnson was forever humble you did your job better than anybody. >> i did the best i could. >> reporter: when she died today at 101, tributes from nasa and henson, who played her in the movie, wrote, because of your hard work, everywhere little girls dream now counted as a

true american hero rehema ellis, nbc news. >> katherine johnson a hidden figure no more that's "nightly news." i'm lester holt. for all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching and good night. i did not want to leave, i even told the mayor, i don't want to leave. >> right now at 6:00, firing back at her critics, we talk to oakland's former police chief for the first time since she was fired. plus, attacked while collecting cans. the viral video that has the attention of bay area investigators. >> first, on the hunt for an arsonist. the neighborhood in san jose on alert because of this exclusive video. the news at 6:00 starts right w.od ening and thanks for being with us on this monday. i'm raj mathai. >> and i'm jessica aguirre. a san jose neighborhood on edge after a house is firebombed.

now watch this video. you can see someone throwing what appears to be a molotov cocktail at a house that had people inside. tonight why and who is behind it. in a story you'll see only on nbc bay area robert handa with what he's uncovered. robert? >> reporter: yes, we're here in that east san jose neighborhood where homeowners have actually reported fires were deliberately set. they say a possible molotov cocktail fire has really escalated the fear. even a couple blocks away you can see the flaming device thrown through the air igniting a huge flash. in daylight you can see the charred area covered with sand, with fragments of glass on and around a fence of a house on east san fernando street, a neighbor who asked not to show his face saw a man on a bicycle vice he throw the lit bottle in a hurry hitting the fence